


met as only friends (but before the story ends)

by Port_of_Morrow



Category: High School Musical (Movies)
Genre: All 4 main characters are gay a.f, Alternate Universe - College/University, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-07
Updated: 2015-08-07
Packaged: 2018-04-13 09:10:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4516140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Port_of_Morrow/pseuds/Port_of_Morrow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryan laughed at Chad's drunken state in the early hours of the morning. The party raved on behind them, but it was quiet out here in the cold.</p><p>“Getting guys away from their friends usually, you know, “sobers” them up. Especially you jocks, always acting crazy drunk around your friends, even if it’s subconscious,”</p><p>“He-ey,” Chad smiled, “We’re not all neanderthal boneheads… I know who <i> Gene Kelly </i> is, remember?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Ryan laughed, shivering a little, “You’re an exception.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	met as only friends (but before the story ends)

**Author's Note:**

> Acknowledgement to the ultimate cinnamon roll, my ragtime gal Katie who gave me the amazing prompt for this fic, gave me the HSM2 soundtrack in like 2013, listened to my shock horror over how Americans don't use kettles, and supported me through the arduous task of researching sports facts. If we were in an American basketball game (a sport which I have researched a lot over the last 24hrs) Katie, you would the MVP.
> 
> Also there is more to come. This is Chapter 1 out of lord knows how long I keep this fic up.

The first signs of winter were appearing in the evening sky as Ryan made his way across campus towards the East dormitory block, with several hefty bags of what was mostly scarves and theatre books in tow.

He approached the row of dormitory buildings, peering at them through the darkening evening air, as a voice sounded behind him,

“Need some help?”

Ryan spun around to see the smile of a dark haired boy dressed in jogging gear.

“Oh, yeah,” Ryan laughed nervously, “I’m looking for, er, the East block?”

The jogger paused his iPod and removed a pair of headphones.

“I’m headed back there anyway, and I could do with cooling off. Let me show you there.”

“Yeah, sure,” Ryan breathed, before following the other boy down the pathway.

“I’m Chad, by the way,” the jogger shot a winning smile to Ryan, offering a hand.

“Ryan,” he replied, “What do you major in?”

“American History, and minoring in Film Studies, though I’m only really coasting by so I can keep my Athletics scholarship” Chad smiled easily, “How about you?”

“Majoring in Theatre Studies, minoring in Music and choreography,”

“Wow,” Chad raised his eyebrows as they continued to walk, “That sounds pretty intense.”

“Yeah,” Ryan laughed, “I mean, it keeps me busy but, like, I’ve been doing theatre since middle school, and all I’ve ever wanted to do is choreography… you know, like designing dances,”

“I know what choreography is,” Chad teased, which made Ryan totally flush red, “I did two musicals, in my sophomore and junior years. My school felt that some cultural activity would help me with applications and that, but I really ended up enjoying it,”

“No way,” Ryan beamed, “Which productions?”

“I was just a small role in Les Mis in Sophomore, and then in Junior I played the lead in _Funny Face_ , that was um, choreographed by Loring, right?”

Ryan was trying with intense effort to convince himself that he was actually in the presence of an athletic and utterly gorgeous boy who _knew who Eugene Loring was._

“I… yeah,” Ryan stammered, “Loring’s a genius. I love that musical, though I kind of prefer Gene Kelly to Astaire,”

“I totally agree,” Chad clicked his fingers, “Like, Astaire was _technically_ good but, like, films like Singin’ in the Rain and American in Paris showed that, like, technical accuracy was becoming irrelevant, you know? Like, Kelly was a _performer_ , he was a character....”

Ryan’s mouth ran dry, “Oh my god, do you know how infrequently I meet people who have actually _watched_ those movies?”

Chad’s eyes widened a little, realising how much he’d just blabbed about what was, frankly, an extremely camp subject.

“I just, I minor in Film Studies,” he shrugged, “I _have_ to watch the classics.”

“Sure,” Ryan laughed as he raised an eyebrow, knowing an actor when he saw one.

“I… okay,” Chad conceded with a grin, “I’m sort of a total musical geek, but if any of the guys on the team knew, they’d _roast_ me,”

“Your secret’s safe with me,” Ryan smiled simply, meeting Chad’s gaze as they neared the East building.

“Er, so you live in East Block?” Ryan asked

“Nah,” Chad frowned, “I’m in West. But my friends Taylor and Kelsi as well as some guys from my basketball and track teams live there, so I spend a bunch of time there,”

Ryan smiled at the prospect of seeing Chad regularly, whilst he’d be living at East.

“So, why the move mid-semester to East Block?”

“I had a place with my sister,” Ryan shrugged, “But she transferred to a different college and luckily someone here had dropped out, so there was a free room.”

“Oh,” Chad pointed a finger at him, “You’re gonna be my friend Taylor’s roommate, and…” he pointed at Ryan’s shoulder, “That looks heavy, let me help you out,”

“Thanks,” Ryan sighed with appreciation, handing over a heavy duffel bag which Chad swung over one of his broad shoulders as if it was packed with pillows instead of every boot and shoe that Ryan owned.

“Um,” Ryan started, “What’s Taylor like? I mean, does he also do track and everything?”

“Oh,” Chad laughed, “No, Taylor’s a girl, she’s… my girlfriend, actually,” Chad said uncomfortably.

“Ah,” Ryan picked up his tone, “I’m… sorry if that’s weird,”

Chad blinked, “What?”

“Oh,” Ryan looked confused, “I thought… thought you were like, uncomfortable because I’m rooming with your girlfriend…”

“No,” Chad shook his head, “That’s, that’s not it. I honestly don’t mind,”

“I promise it won’t be weird,”

“Not to be presumptuous,” Chad rubbed the back of his neck, “But I didn’t think you were like…you know, a _threat,_ in that sense,”

Ryan laughed nervously, wondering what exactly gave him away.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Ryan laughed, “Any guys who swing my way on your track team, then?”

Chad’s throat ran dry as he watched Ryan card his fingers through his beautiful short blonde hair.

“I… not that I know of,” he lied, “Sorry,”

“That’s okay,” Ryan smiled sweetly as they made their way inside.

Like with most student flats, the floor consisted of a shared kitchen and bathroom, with three sizeable double bedrooms. In the hallway Chad introduced Ryan to a short brunet girl emerging from the kitchen with a cup of tea, wearing an oversized Newsies t-shirt.

“Kelsi, this is Ryan, he’s also majoring in theatre,”

“Right on,” Kelsi smiled, shaking Ryan’s hand, “I think I’ve seen you in a couple classes,”

“Yeah, for sure,” Ryan nodded, as she moved down the hall and Chad knocked on the first door on the right.

“Come in!” a girl’s voice sounded. Chad opened the door for Ryan, who staggered in under the weight of his bags.

“Hey!” Taylor beamed from her bed where she was tapping away at a laptop, “New roomie, awesome. Find your way here okay?”

“Hiya Taylor,” Ryan smiled nervously, heading over to the empty bed, “Yeah, your very gallant boyfriend happened to find me and showed me the way,”

“Oh, awesome,” Taylor laughed, before meeting the eyes of Chad who was waiting in the hallway.

“I’m gonna head back to West,” Chad sighed, “Um, some of the guys from the team are coming round ours for drinks after practise later, around eight, you wanna come?”

Ryan took a moment to realise that he was the one being addressed.

“Yeah, sure,” he agreed, meeting Chad’s eyes as Taylor resumed to her work. “Oh, and, thanks for showing me ‘round.”

Chad ran a hand through his mess of dark brown curls, and it didn’t take much for Ryan to realise that he was totally gone for the boy.

“No problem,” Chad smiled, and then he was gone.

X

Ryan spent the rest of the evening unpacking his things into his new room. Taylor seemed pretty busy with her work, (she was majoring in Biochemistry, minoring in Electronics and was on three different committees as well as working towards the Sophomore Science Scholarship, Ryan soon found out). Between rehearsals for his college pieces as well as his extra curricular drama, Ryan was busy enough himself, and he found that it was pretty cool to have a roommate who understood his crazy high levels of motivation and work ethic.

But it’s still nice to have an evening off, Ryan thought, as he headed over towards West Block at eight.

Ryan waited outside in the cold as he rang the buzzer on the building.

“Who is it?” a fuzzy voice sounded.

“Um, Ryan? Chad invited me…”

“Invited you for what?” the voice sounded suspiciously, before a second voice cut in - undeniably Chad’s, “Hey Ryan, sorry about Zeke, he’s being a dick. I’ll buzz you in.”

Ryan grabbed the door as it buzzed and made his way down a hallway into the ground floor lounge.

“Heyyyy,” Chad greeted Ryan at the door, looping an arm around his waist.

Ryan’s eyes went wide, thrown off guard for a moment by this display of affection from a guy he’d met barely a few hours ago.

“Um, hi,” Ryan laughed nervously, patting Chad on the shoulder before the older man released him.

“Pick your _poi-sonnnn,_ ” Chad sang as he gestured towards the coffee table in the centre of the small longue, laden with a variety of liquors.

Well, that answers that, Ryan thinks.

It’s a typical student lounge - filled with three mismatched sofas surrounding a battered coffee table, and hoodies and sports bags strewn around the untidy room.

“I’ll have a vodka orange, but not very strong as I got an early-”

“Sex on the beach, coming right up,” Chad gave a toothy grin as he grabbed a plastic cup and mixed up a drink.

“This is the team, by the way,” Chad gestured to the other boys who seemed to be deep in competition about _something_ basketball related.

“Um, that’s Troy, our captain and resident 21 year old,” he grinned, “Uh, this is Zeke, Jason, and you’ll get to know everyone else,” Chad shrugged as he passed Ryan a drink.

“Thanks, and thanks for like, inviting me, I know I probably don’t fit in very well,” Ryan smiled gratefully as he hauled his tired body down on a threadbare sofa next to Chad.

“Nah it’s…” he paused, “It’s cool to have a friend who’s not like, just set on being the next Nugget.”

“The next _what?_ ” Ryan laughed, spluttering out his drink.

“The _Denver Nuggets,_ ” Chad cried, “Like, our state’s basketball team?”

“Um, I went to one basketball game when I was, like, seven? With my dad… I think the Utah Jazz-hands or whatever won,” Ryan laughed, “That’s about the extent of my knowledge,”

“It’s Utah _Jazz_ ,” Chad moved closer to Ryan as the room got louder with the addition of a few more jocks, “But I like how that’s the one team you remembered,”

“What can I say,” Ryan shrugged with a flick of his eyebrows.

The evening only got louder and crazier. Zeke flicked on some awful playlist consisting mostly of 90s hiphop, some beer pong ensued, followed by about five more drinking games during which Chad was shooting whisky like it was Pepsi. Ryan felt totally out of his element but Chad kept Ryan close, talking to him whenever Ryan was getting ignored and explaining about every single sports metaphor that the boys used. 

It reached a point in the night where the team had managed to make a drinking game out of call or delete, which essentially allowed Ryan to watch jocks make an utter drunken dick of themselves over the phone to their ex girlfriends or parents.

“Hey, Ryan, bet your theatre kid parties aren’t _half_ as classy as this right?” some jock teased from across the coffee table, as Zeke had to rush out the room to throw up.

“I haven’t been to any, actually,” Ryan laughed, “But I’m sure they’re a step-up.”

“No parties this year? What, is everyone a bit too straight laced on your course?”

“Not really,” Ryan turned his nose up, “It’s just been a bit, like, it’s kinda hard to make friends I guess. ‘Cause I was living off campus and, like, not many people in drama club wanna be friends with the director/choreographer,”

A chorus of sympathetic “Awww”s started up, before Chad slurred at everyone to shut up.

“You should totally try out for baseball or track,” Zeke pointed at Ryan, before downing the rest of his beer, “We’ve got a second round of tryouts just before Christmas, you’d make tonnes of friends on the team,”

“Team sports _really_ aren’t my thing, but thanks,”

“What about track, then?” Chad slowly drawled through his rum and coke, his body quite heavily pressed up against Ryan as they were squashed onto the end of a small sofa, onto which Jason thought it would be funny to try and fit seven people.

“I did track in Freshman year of high school,” Ryan admitted, as he inhaled the thick scent of whisky and rum from Chad’s neck, which was very close to him, “But um,” he regathered his train of thought, “I’m not sure I’d be good enough for a college team,”

“Are you crazy? Look at these long legs,” Chad slurred as he moved his hand to hold Ryan’s thigh, “Bet you could, like,” he swallowed another mouthful of rum and coke, “Bet with a little practise you could outrun half the guys on my team,”

Ryan’s mouth ran dry as Chad’s palm pressed into his thigh.

“Ch-Chad, you’re drunk,” Ryan pointed out the obvious, as he moved his hand onto Chad’s to move it.

“Bet your choreography and everything keeps you pretty fit,” Chad said quietly. Ryan was speechless, and with Chad’s hand pressed between his thigh and his own, he can’t help but feel a blush rise to his cheeks.

“Chad….” Ryan exhaled, because he really should have moved Chad’s hand, but it just felt warm and heavy against his leg, with just a thin layer of denim in between, and Ryan wasn’t desperate or anything, but he’d admit that Chad was utterly gorgeous, for a jock, and it’s not like he’d been with anyone since the beginning of the summer.

“Long… legs… f’r running,” Chad slurred, and Ryan just laughed before reluctantly moving Chad’s hand and saying, “ _Okay,_ you definitely need a coffee and some fresh air.”

“Mmh, coffee,” Chad sighed drunklenly as Ryan squeezed himself up out of the sofa and tried with all his might to pull up Chad, who proceeded to nearly collapse on him.

“Um, I think Chad needs a coffee before he hurls right here,” Ryan gritted his teeth at the team, “Excuse us.”

Chad followed Ryan out into the cold late-autumn air. It was just past midnight and the accommodation village was cool and quiet.

“I’m gonna make you a coffee, provided I can find the stuff in your kitchen,” Ryan says before pointing to a tree just across the pathway, “Just, um, just walk to that tree and back… try to stay in a straight line, and take deep breaths as you go.”

“That...tree?” Chad slurrs.

“Yep,” Ryan laughs, as he steps back into the hallway, “Deep breaths!”

Ryan returns ten minutes later with two cups of coffee, and watches as Chad’s figure carefully steps across the path and back to the steps.

“Well done,” Ryan hands Chad a coffee cup, “Feel better?”

“Yeah, a bit,” Chad nods, as he sits down on the bottom step. Ryan joins him.

“Thanks for the coffee, you’re being, like, really nice,”

“Well, you invited me to the party, thought I’d just,” Ryan shrugged, “Say thanks.”

Chad exhales deeply before taking a mouthful of coffee, and Ryan can tell he’s sobered up significantly.

“Where’d you learn all this stuff…” Chad asked slowly.

“I have a twin sister who threw some pretty rowdy parties in high school,” Ryan smiled, “I’d often be studying for a midterm and find someone passed out in my bed... managed to find out ways to sober them up a bit. But, er, you wanna know the biggest secret? for sobering a guy up is?” Ryan raised his eyebrows.

“What?” Chad asked, taking a sip.

“Getting guys away from their friends," he laughed, "Like, especially you jocks… always acting crazy drunk around your friends, even if it’s subconcious,”

“He-ey,” Chad sneered with a grin, “We’re not all neanderthal boneheads… I know who Gene Kelly is, remember?”

“Yeah,” Ryan laughed, shivering a little, “You’re an exception.”

“That’s very generous of you, Ryan,” Chad smiled easily, “Hey, you cold?”

“I guess it’s a little chilly out here,” Ryan shrugged, I should probably head back to my dorms anyway. I’ve got an 8.30am workshop,”

“Well, you’ll freeze,” Chad says pointedly, “Take my jacket,”

Ryan was about to protest, but Chad was already pulling off his Letterman Jacket, and Ryan was feeling unhappy at the prospect of walking all the way back to his dorm in just his thin pullover.

“Here,” Chad offered the garment to Ryan, who gratefully took it and slung the way oversized jacket onto his body.

Chad couldn’t help but laugh as Ryan rolled up the thick white sleeves; the bottom of the jacket well past his waist.

“You’re so big,” Ryan laughed incredulously, though immediately feeling the warmth of the jacket through his pullover.

“C’mere,” Chad chuckled, stepping over to Ryan and zipping the jacket up on him.

“I’ll see you round, I guess?” Chad licked his lower lip. Ryan tried desperately to tell himself that he was not into a jock… but in the crisp evening air, with Chad’s jacket utterly swamping him and the boy standing less than a metre from him, he felt utterly and completely gone for the shaggy haired boy.

 _This is so inconvenient,_ Ryan thought, before taking advantage of their proximity, and closing the space between them, tucking an arm around Chad’s shoulder.

“Yeah, and thanks,” Ryan exhaled into the space by Chad’s ear, before turning on his heel and walking quickly through the darkness; his heart racing in his ribcage as he did so.

The hallway of East block was dark as Ryan got in, with everyone asleep (as he very much should be, he thought.) He quietly closed the door behind him as he entered his room, before taking off Chad’s jacket and his jeans, and tucking down into his unfamiliar bed.

Ryan’s alarm woke him at six thirty, which after last night felt extremely too early. Being the lightweight he was, Ryan nursed a slight hangover from the three drinks he’d had last night, as he pulled on a pair of pyjama trousers, grabbed his shower things and headed to the bathroom down the hall.

Feeling more refreshed after his shower, Ryan dressed and headed quickly into the kitchen for a much-needed coffee.

“Morning,” Taylor greeted Ryan, as she poured a strange greenish smoothie from a blender into a travel bottle.

“Er, morning, and wow,” Ryan raised his eyebrows, “You’ve already started with the chemistry?”

Taylor laughs, “It’s a superfood breakfast smoothie, contains pretty much everything scientifically proven to boost my brain and keep me going.”

“You’re amazing, my breakfast of coffee and asprin seems, like, totally awful,” Ryan laughed as he put on the kettle.

“You use a kettle as well?” Taylor laughed, “You and Kelsi will get on well…”

“I spent a lot of my childhood visiting my grandparents in England,” Ryan protested as he lumped some instant coffee into a mug, “It’s a disgrace that this country hasn’t fully embraced them.”

“I just boil my water in the microwave,” Taylor shrugged.

“Oh my god,” a voice sounded from the doorway, “Who the fuck is talking about microwave boiling?”

“Our flatmate doesn’t appreciate kettles,” Ryan sighed at Kelsi as she entered the kitchen in her pyjamas.

“I know,” Kelsi sighed deeply, “It’s literally so tragic. Enough in there for a cup of tea?”

“Yeah, for sure,” Ryan laughed, as he finished up making his coffee and leant against the kitchen table.

“Have a nice night last night, then?” Taylor asked as she buttered some wholegrain slices.

“Yeah, it was pretty weird,” Ryan smiled, “Your boyfriend’s really cool,”

Kelsi whispered, “Him too?” as she passed Taylor, but Ryan didn’t hear.

“Chad’s great, yeah,” Taylor nodded, “You must have gone pretty hard, our room smells like a brewery,”

“Oh,” Ryan clicked his fingers, “Yeah, that’s all your boyfriend. He let me borrow his jacket for my walk home.”

The two girls went silent.

“His _letterman_ jacket?” Taylor asked.

“Yeah,” Ryan replied slowly, “The red and white one, with the bird… emblem…thing…”

“Chad never lets _anyone_ touch that jacket,” Kelsi raised her eyebrows, “You two must’ve, like, really hit it off,”

Ryan honestly didn’t know what to do with that information, and he couldn’t help notice that his blush from last night was returning to his cheeks.

“I… I guess we did? He told me I should join the track team… like… but he was drunk, you know?”

“You’re totally blushing,” Kelsi smiled as she made herself a bowl of cereal, which literally did nothing besides make Ryan blush even harded.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted, “Chad was just really nice to me, but he’s your boyfriend obviously... like I would honestly never be weird with him Taylor, I’m sorry,”

Taylor sighed, seeing what a bumbling mess the mention of her “boyfriend” was making Ryan. She desperately wanted to tell Ryan the truth about her and Chad, but they’d agreed that they wouldn’t tell anyone about their arrangement without them both knowing.

“I really don’t mind, Ryan,” Taylor said, “I… it’s cool that you guys are close. And he clearly likes you,” 

“I guess,” Ryan finished off his coffee, “Um, anyway I gotta dash for my workshop. I’ll see you guys later,”

Kelsi stayed in the kitchen until she and Taylor heard the front door close.

“I can’t believe you’re keeping up your stupid fake relationship around Ryan, like, he clearly likes Chad, and now he feels bad about liking a straight boy,” Kelsi huffed.

Taylor groaned unhappily, “I know, I feel bad, but like… I need to stay with Chad… at least until stupid Reverend Owen and the _Crazy Catholic goddamn Chemistry Committee_ have chosen who gets the scholarship next year,”

“I know, God it’s so stupid that Mr _Jesus Loves Us_ is basically only giving the scholarship to people he likes, instead of like… the _revolutionary_ idea of actually giving it to the best biochemist,”

“Yeah, well,” Taylor raised her eyebrows, “That’s the way it is. Half of his little… church minions on the committee think I’m totally gay and will of course blab to him, because _maybe_ I made out with that one girl at a social during freshman week,”

“Well, as soon as you get that scholarship, because you _will_ get that scholarship, the truth comes out,” Kelsi smiled as she looped her arms round Taylor’s waist.

“Yeah,” Taylor sighed, “You really think I’m the best biochemist in our year?”

“Of course,” Kelsi laughed, pulling Taylor closer and kissing her, “Even if you microwave your goddamn water,”

“It’s more environmentally friendly,” Taylor protests, but somehow her lips seem more drawn towards Kelsi’s than the act of educating her on the environmental impact of kitchen appliances.

“Hmm, maybe,” Kelsi mumbles against Taylor’s lips, “But forgive me for not wanting my water irradiated,”

“Irradiated water!?” Taylor’s mouth falls agape, “You can’t irradiate _food _with a microwave, let alone water, it literally works by stimulating the water molecules in your food and irradiates the calcium and-”__

__“You are so cute when you say science stuff that I have literally no idea about,” Kelsi smiles, before bringing her tea to her lips and pulling her girlfriend closer._ _

__“Interrupting something?” Chad’s voice sounded from the doorway._ _

__“ _God_ , it’s like grand central station in here this morning,” Kelsi groaned._ _

__“Morning Neilsen,”_ _

__“Danforth,” Kelsi smiled, giving Chad a punch on the shoulder as she exited into the hallway, “I gotta get ready, see you guys,” she called._ _

__“Hey,”Chad exhaled, “Can you let me into your room? Uh, I was really stupid and left my cell-phone in a jacket that I lent Ryan-”_ _

__“I can’t believe you lent him your letterman jacket,” Taylor sighed, watching the way Chad proceeded to rub the back of his neck nervously._ _

__“He - he was cold, and I’d had a bit to drink so wasn’t really thinking straight,” Chad says, and then instantly regretted his choice of adjective._ _

__“You clearly weren't,” Taylor laughed, and then after a pause said, “Look, Chad, he likes you, and he was blushing up _really_ badly when he was talking about you, like, I don't know what happened last night-"_ _

__“I know, I know,” Chad cringed, “I totally flirted and I shouldn't have because I know that we have to be a thing until the end of the year, and we’ve been friends a billion years and I’m _happy_ to keep up our appearances,” _ _

__“It’s fine, Chad,” Taylor sighed, “But, like, I’m lucky that Kelsi doesn’t care about this whole secret thing. It’d be really shit for Ryan if you guys were together but he essentially had to be closeted about it.”_ _

__Chad leant against the doorframe, “I really like him, but you’re right, I’m not gonna make him be in a relationship with a goddamn _terms & conditions, _” _ _

__“Good boy,” Taylor smiled, “Now go get your phone you total scatterbrain, and hey… if you wanna see him again, maybe we could all go to the winter ball or something.”_ _

__“Yeah, okay,” Chad sighs, “I’ll see you round.”_ _

__Chad told himself on the way to his American History that morning that as cool as Ryan was, he’d have to restrain himself. Ryan was nice, really nice, he told himself, and he deserved someone who’d be able to be in an actual relationship with him._ _

__Chad’s hangover combined with the five and a half hours’ sleep he’d got didn’t mix well with a lecture on Lincoln’s political involvement with the Battle of Fort Sumner, so he found himself scrolling idly through his phone under his desk._ _

__Chad completed some basic errands; replying to his backlog of college emails, managing his team’s facebook group, and dropping a text to Reg, a guy from the team to see if he still needed transport to next week’s match. Though as soon as Chad typed “R” into the address box on his text, he noticed Ryan Evans underneath Reg’s number._ _

__Chad frowned. He hadn’t touched his phone since before Ryan had shown up last evening. He closed the texting app and flicked into his contacts._ _

__Under “R”, he clicked on Ryan Evans._ _

___Contact added: _07.59am, 16/11/08_  
Note:  
_well done on leaving your phone in your jacket, haha. only noticed this morning. just thought I’d put my number in here in case you ever wanted to chat. if not, you know where i live. x R.E__

__Chad banged his forehead against the table. There was ultimately, and totally, no going back now._ _


End file.
